Granholm: Clinton really is popular vote leader

Gov. Jennifer Granholm backed up Hillary Clinton's claim to the national popular vote lead that relies on counting the disputed Michigan presidential primary. The Jan. 15 election produced 328,309 votes for Clinton, but none for Barack Obama, who removed his name from the ballot. Uncommitted received more than 238,000 votes.

Counting those results, and those from that other disputed election in Florida, gives Clinton a popular vote lead of 122,855. Add in unofficial caucus turnouts in Iowa, Nevada, Maine and Washington state where Obama won and the lead shrinks to 12,633, according to Friday's updated tally at the Web site Real Clear Politics. Give Obama Michigan's uncommitted vote and he regains his lead.

Clinton, pretty much unable to surpass Obama in pledged delegates won with nine contests to go, says a popular vote lead following Tuesday's victory in Pennsylvania counts just as much. So does Granholm.

"If you look at the popular vote, that's one aspect that the super delegates can consider in deciding who would be the strongest candidate in the general election," Granholm told reporters.

Granholm was asked why Clinton should receive credit for votes she
didn't campaign for. Adhering to party rules that barred campaigning in rogue states that violated the Democratic National Committee's nominating calendar, Clinton didn't step foot in the state prior to Jan. 15.

"She did come here and ask for votes in that she kept her name on the ballot," Granholm said. "She chose to compete here by at least leaving her name on the ballot and
allowing people the opportunity to choose her. (Obama) chose to take
his name off the ballot."

Clinton moreover, deserves those votes because back in March she
supported a do-over election that was blocked by Obama's allies in the Legislature, Granholm said. That wasn't "fair for the voters of Michigan."

Granholm also doesn't see the nominating fight ending in a nasty battle at the Democratic National Convention in Denver over whether Michigan's disputed delegates are seated. Based on the Jan. 15 results, Clinton picked up at least a net 18 delegates in Michigan.

"In the end, truly I believe our delegates are going to be seated and
we're going to be seated properly before the convention," Granholm said. "Nobody wants
to see a fight on the floor of the convention."

Except, she said, the media. And not Clinton, if it would land her the nomination?